Best Tank by Tier and Size

Hi all. Just wanted some opinions on tanks as I go up the trees. Not that I want to play the most op tanks but I want to know what to look at as well as what to beware of. So, starting at tier 5 -10, with all outside things being equal (crew experience, tank controller experience and expertise, etc.), what would be the best Light, Medium and Heavy. Again, only at tiers 5-10. Now I know play style makes a difference. But i am looking just straight out the tanks themselves. Armor, guns, manuverability, etc all taken into account on a purely overview basis. As I am just now reaching Tier 5 with my 5 tanks I started with, I just wanted to get an idea of where I want to proceed to and what tanks I want to watch out for on the battlefield. Thanks to all in advance for any and all responses.

Best Tier 5 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 6 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 7 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 8 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 9 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 10 tank: Whichever you like the most.

You probably think I'm being sarcastic or dumb for this, but you honestly have to try stuff out and find what works for you. I ground out an IS-7 first because my clanmates said it was awesome, and I never liked it. Don't ever believe anyone who tells you there is one tank which is better at everything than anything else. You have to define your playstyle and likes by just trying stuff out, have fun with it.

Wow, tall order and sure to get a lot of controversy started ... well played, sir!

I am still relatively new to the game, and have played mostly TDs and SPGs, so my choices reflect that:

For Tier 2 TDs, the Marder II has an amazing gun, effective against Tier 5 and death to 4 and below.

For Tier 2 tanks, I seriously like my Hotchkiss (Panzer38H735(f)) which is a miniMaus in most senses of the word, good and bad.

For Tier 8, the Type 59, though not the terror it was initially, is still a force in the game.

For Tier 10 (which I know only from having been stomped by them) it's the IS-7 ... an unkillable monster with a zapgun.

For the rest, well, the balance seems pretty good to me. I love the cannon on my Ferdinand (which some consider OP), but it's weak armor and glacial speeds make it a very killable foe. I love my Tiger, which can perform pretty well and has its historical panache, despite the inexplicable paper armor the developers have saddled it with. But neither of them, nor any of the other tanks and SPGs in my garage (or my experience) is particularly OP.

In Lights, other than the french there are none above Tier V (and the French are really mediums-in-the-making), and I have no experience in them, so no comment.

On mediums, US - M4 - E8 - T20 reign on V-VI-VII. I've almost elited my Pershing, and I love it just as much, but have not played the equivalent in the other trees yet to compare.

On Heavies, most people will tell you KV at Tier V, but I much much preferred the T-1 Heavy. Tier VI, i found it a tossup between the M6 and the KV-3, but I think the KV-3 edges it. Tier VII, definitely not the Tiger. T-29 holds the title here for me. Tier VIII, Tiger II Tiger II Tiger II. IS-3 is fun, but Tiger II rules. Tier IX I have only the IS-4, but it's great so far. I hear the E-75 rules, though.

Good Luck!

EDIT: Devil Dog really has the best answer. The tank you'll perform best in is the one you like most, and only you can figure that out.

Best Tier 5 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 6 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 7 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 8 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 9 tank: Whichever you like the most.
Best tier 10 tank: Whichever you like the most.

You probably think I'm being sarcastic or dumb for this, but you honestly have to try stuff out and find what works for you. I ground out an IS-7 first because my clanmates said it was awesome, and I never liked it. Don't ever believe anyone who tells you there is one tank which is better at everything than anything else. You have to define your playstyle and likes by just trying stuff out, have fun with it.

He's right. There are some tanks that people deem are great but sometimes, according to each person, it doesn't work that way. Here's an example. A lot of people say that the Pzn IV is a great tier 5 tank. I tried it and I suck with it. The reason behind it is because my play style is more oriented towards close to mid range combat thus the reason why I do better in Russian tanks than in German tanks.

Now, not every tank in a nation follows the same principles. KV-3 was a difficult tank for me to play because it was slow. It's heavily armored, but it's not capable of reaching the front lines fast enough. Plus the MM does not treat it well.

Everyone has their own strength and weakness. I cannot say that the KV is a great tank to play. It IS a great tank, but to you, you might hate it.

USA
Heavies get amazingly strong Turret armor,but have to slog through the 105 T5E1 for a long time(the Tier 9s stock gun is this gun and you have to grind like 100K to get out of it). But they ALL share squishy hulls. HE the gun mantlet to damage them,or aim for the ball machinegun in the hull.

Mediums
ARe generally fast,great on the accuracy shooting,and rapid fire machineguns. The tend to get the bouncy M1A2 76mm.

Lights
Nothing you havent seen. The Chaffee gets an upgraded M1A2 that is better and pens better,but other than that,nothing new.

TDs
Turreted TDs are weak to HE,and are slow. But when you hit the T28 and T95,you get a slow bunker. They are lethal head on,and will seriously mess you up if you arent killed. With the second TD line coming,they will also get fast and decently mobile TDs. They will be racing to chokepoints to wait for you.

Arty
Good accuracy at low tiers.The Priest and M37 are the 2 greatest counterbattery artillery pieces. Lots of ammo to spare,and good mobility allows them to relocate easily and watch for arty. But at high tiers the accuracy goes down,and the splash radius and damage skyrockets.

Germany
Lights
Generally fast,good mobility,crappy guns. The 5CM L/60 is a garbage gun. But the Leopard is amazingly durable and a fun drive. Formerly the king of scouts. But the T-50 has taken that over.

Mediums
Generally sniping support. The VK3002DB is the opposite of this formula. But the L/56 is tempermental at best,and is frustrating to use at time. The L/70 will serve you on many tanks,and is a great weapon in the Panzer 4.

TDs
Ninjas up to the Jagdpanther. The JP with the Long 88(the 8.8 L/71) will hurt. Alot. The Ferdinand gets the Maus's 12.8 L/55 and that really,really hurts. The JT is in my opinion,the best of the TDs. Good mobility,great accuracy and pen,but is often downsided to squishy lower hull and sides.

Arty
The best balance between firepower and splash radius. The Grille and Sturmpanzer ll are an exercise in frustration. The Grille has great damage,but crappy accuracy and a very narrow gun traverse. The Sturmpanzer only has a few shells and has the same gun as the Sturmpanzer Bison. The Wespe,Hummel,and GW Panther are considered the gems of the German artillery line. The Wespe is a mini Hummel,and the Hummel is the most versatile artillery piece. The GW-Panther has a nice wide traverse and a strong hard hitting gun,often cited as the king of counterbattery.

Soviets
Lights
Great mobility,but no armor. The 45mm is a great gun. The T-50 and the T-50-2 are trollol tanks. Very fast,very annoying to hit. But the guns on them are weak,and best left for hurting artillery and occupied tanks.

Mediums
I think the 34-85 is a piece of crap. Easily killed,and lit on fire(a common problem for many Soviet tanks) it is killed by Easy 8s quickly,and often oneshot by VKs armed with the 8.8 L/56. The 100MM 10DT gun(aka the Idiot gun)is the top gun on some tanks. It is a good gun,but is very slow.

Heavies
Can vary widly from each other. The KV-1 and the KV-2(even tho its the same tank handle opposites) the KV-3 and the KV-1S are examples. The 1S plays like an IS,IS3,and IS7,a large fat medium,but the KV-3 plays exactly like an IS-4. Large,lots of armor,and a good gun.

But until the IS-4 Soviet heavies(in my experience) tend to experience fire and ammo racking problems.

Arty
The most accurate,and the smallest splash. The Big Bus,Short Bus,The Shoe,and Unicorn (Object 261,212 and SU-14 and S-51) are very common and are great artillery pieces. The SU-26 is the most common in the lower tiers on account of its turret,but the SU-5 is a piece of garbage,and the SU-8 is also not that great.

TDs
"Was that a shell or a freight train that hit me?!" Big guns mounted in paper hulls. They are even stealthier than their counterparts. Each one gets a gun that can hit several tiers above them. But the hulls are squishy,so a well placed HE shell can cripple or knock them out. the Object 704 is the king of the Soviet TDs. Good armor,and great gun with the second best mobility,but the best camo,is often a popular choice for TD drivers.

The French
Lights
Low tiers have the toughest armor,with decent accuracy,and mainly AP only guns,they can be a threat. They called the Premium Hotchkiss(a captured H38) the Noobkiller for a reason. They are slow,and easily dealt with. But their armor presents a challenge. At high tiers,up to Tier 7,they are a serious threat. Coordinated AMX 13/90s can kill or cripple Tier 10 tanks. These tanks made good players Gods,and bad players good.

Mediums
Low tiers again,great armor,crap speed,and shit guns. High tiers such as the Lorraine 40T and the Bat Chatillion 25T are amazing. But are very weak to HE shells. Their guns are rapid fire,and great pen and damage,but this comes at a cost for defense. Their speed is the defense. Track them,and damage the engine,or kill the driver,and you can kill them easy.

Heavies
They are not heavies,more or less Hediums. Large and goofy looking,these are also vulnerable to HE shells.

Count shots. French tanks will have no more than 6 shots at high tiers. When they are expended,attack then. If you do it right,you can kill them and they cant kill you. French tanks require teamwork to kill succesfully.

Best tanks at tier
Tier 1
Loltraktor

Tier 2
Panzer 2 or BT-2
T-57 artillery
AT-1 or T18

Tier 3
Luchs
Wespe(has an AP and an HE shell) followed by the SU-26
T-82(a 105 derp gun at tier 3? Lol)

Tier 8
Pershing or Panther 2,the T44 has ammo racking problems.
I consider all Tier 8 heavies equal. The T32 is a monster hull down,the IS-3 excells at brawling,and the Tiger 2 can do both.
Obj 261 and T92 the GW-E is just far too large and cumbersome. The T92 excels in splash damage,but the 261 fires faster and is slightly more mobile.
No Tier 8 Light tanks.
Ferdinand or ISU-152.the 12.5 and the BL-10 are both lethal guns.

Tier 9
Patton has the best view range,and great acceleration but is the squishiest next to the batmobile. The Batchat can influence games like no tomorrow,and is the most lethal thing on the battlefield if not countered asap.
No Tier 9 Light Tanks or Artillery.
T95 is the best for armor,the Object has the best camo,but the JT has the best agility. it is a tossup really. Each one is great in their own aspect. The 704 seems to be the overall jack of all trades.

Tier 10
IS-7 at the moment. It seems to be the overall jack of all trades. Good gun,and essentially a very heavy medium tank. The french have autoloaders,but are too weak when loading. But I count the T30 as a close second. The T30 is the king of hills. The E100 and Maus are great tanks as well. But each one has its own unique roll on a battlefield. The AMX 50 120 is the weakest(its armor is very thin) but has the strongest gun and the best ROF but the longest reload.
No Tier 10 Mediums,Tank Destroyers or Artillery.

Everyone said the AMX 40 is a terrible tank,I loved it. Everyone said the M7 is awful,I loved it. I loved to hate the Priest(but then I loved it when the Tracers came back)

Tanks are the best when you the player have fun in them.

I love my Panzer 6 Tiger to death. Everyone says its awful,but I just love it.

But I admit,I loved my T29,but I couldnt learn that thing to save my life and I sold it.

See, we're total opposites. I don't do well in my Tiger I no matter how I try to improve. I don't want to be a camper so I try my best to be a second line support. T29 on the other hand is a great heavy and one that I certainly is worth keeping. Tiger I will be sold soon for the Tiger II.

He's right though. Find what you can excel in and have fun in. No point in trying to play well in a tank when it's not your "type".

See, we're total opposites. I don't do well in my Tiger I no matter how I try to improve. I don't want to be a camper so I try my best to be a second line support. T29 on the other hand is a great heavy and one that I certainly is worth keeping. Tiger I will be sold soon for the Tiger II.

He's right though. Find what you can excel in and have fun in. No point in trying to play well in a tank when it's not your "type".

I love the T29 to death as well,but my win rate is abysmal in it. I could not learn it. I loved having great gun depression and good mobility but I just hated having my ammo racks going off every game.

I play my Tiger like a pseudo-brawler. Im not afraid to get in up close. But I also know that Im super easy to ammo rack,but I also know I need to not be afraid to go help the team.

Find a tree that fits you,and mold yourself into it. And then youll love it

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded so far. Great info. I didn't make myself perfectly clear though in my original post. I understand the play what you like theory and it has always been my style in any game. I would rather lose and have fun than win and it feel like a loss cause i'm using something i really don't want to be using. Being new to the game, I was more interested in what was going to kill me over and over again at each tier. I have been and probably always will be one who leans to the German tanks and will start in those trees. The post here is just for my general knowledge and so that I can better familiarize myself with what seems to be the best and evaluate their strong points and weak points. Thanks again for all the help so far. Much appreciated

Yeah, everyone's going to have a different take/tank. I see the SU-76 and SU-85b in people's "carp tank" lists, and yet I think they are both extraordinarily good for their tier. I see hate for the Pz38NA and M6 but I found both to be very good at their jobs. Some tiers are really hard to choose anything (T6), and some tiers are really, really hard to choose between things (T3, T7). However, "my" list would be:

My E2 is a steel wall of death with the 105 and first turret. In fact, I myself, have trouble trying to kill them. The E8, while I haven't played it myself, from my observations, is a great flanker. If I had to choose, though, I'd rather be in my E2, it's still got decent maneuverability and has godly armor and good weapons.

For tiers 3 and 4, German and American TDs rule. The Marder and T82 both have weak armor but they both pack impressive firepower. Tier 4, though, is the golden age of TDs. The hetzer is great. The front slope ricochets everything and even stock I stopped an entire enemy advance of tier 2-4 tanks by myself. The t40's 76mm, let's just put it this way: it's a tier 6 gun on a tier 4 tank with good maneuverability and good frontal armor. Do the math.

Tier 5 is definitely the KV. US tier 5 and even 6 heavies are weak. For mediums, panzer IV with Vader turret and L70 are great at sniping but sucks till then. Sherman is the same. When you get the 105 or 76 it's good but the 75 is weak.

Tier 7: does anything strike fear the heart of the enemy like a t29? Tiger is average and kv3 is a good bully tank but the t29 is just scary.

For low tiers, the Panzer 2 is actually great with the auto cannon it gets. Wreak everything with a hail of bullets.

Those are my opinions up to tier 7. Haven't play past it all that much ( got a lowe only just the other day and been using that) but it generally seems the IS series heavies is the way to go but US tanks have great turrets and Germans are just good. The tanks just don't seem that different to me in the highest tiers.

I have to agree, the T-29 is a beast in its own right. The KV is scairy too. Ive played up to the american T-34, i dont play it much, too expensive to repair, maybe after the patch and see what the nerfs do to it,..maybe then

You can go tier-by-tier, type-by-type, nation, etc, etc.... What youll get is a lot of mixed opinions. Some will say the M4A3E8 is the best T6 MT, others will say the VK3601H. It'll be like that all the way through T10.

So, Id say, go for the IS-4. Keep the KV, KV-3 and IS-4. You'll get 6 tanks for 3 and not have to deal with the nerfs that get dished out to the German and American lines.